Rugby, Do we need it?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118937112#Comment_118937112

My logic makes perfect sense.

Just because rugby gets high ratings for big games does not mean that it's popular.

It gets the bandwagon crowd that love an event.

Few that watch would even know what the AIL is, actually few would even know what Zebre are.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118937568#Comment_118937568

But loads of people do want to watch the 6 Nations as demonstrated by the viewing figures. So why should those matches not be on tv whenntheyre hugely popular.

So what if lots of the viewers don't know what a Zebre or a URC is? I don't care if a Man Unire fan knows what limericks Markets Field stafuim is. If they enjoy the sport, let them at it, no?

Yeah_Right

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118937568#Comment_118937568

Yeah I get that. But your logic doesn't make any sense. Are AIL matches being shown live or in some prime time highlights package? Are RTE showing Zebre's matches live every week? Or giving the URC massive amount of coverage? International matches get viewers. Why should a tv company not show something that gets massive ratings?

Montage of Feck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118936693#Comment_118936693

Well currently you can watch the full URC season free to air, so I watch that now. Used to watch F1 and Heineken cup but can't be bothered the faff of finding dodgy streams or paying silly money to watch. It's entertainment, or more realistically it'd background noise while you scroll your phone on the couch or a social crutch, so don't take it too seriously.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Rugby gets more viewers in Ireland. Ice Hockey gets more viewers in Finland. Basketball gets more viewers in Lithuania. Cricket gets more viewers in India and Pakistan.

Also, if something is free to air of course it's going to get more viewers than a subscribption or PPV event...!!

Doesn't manke them better or worse sports.

MightyMunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118937025#Comment_118937025

I think if you look at the viewing figures all are narrow. How many are watching Brighton vs Norwich in the top league in the world,feck all. Now go and look at soccer attendence here vs rugby e.g. Rovers vs Leinster? Leinster is what 3 or 4 times as big ? But you think rugby gets too much coverage 😂

GAA gets good attendance all year round but was it <10,000 that watched Dublin vs Laois on sky sports the first year of PPV for the championship? TV numbers for 6 nations is comparable to All Ireland Semi Finals/Finals.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118938763#Comment_118938763

But look at the overall support and interest in soccer, don't narrow it to LOI or lower premier league teams to try and suit your point.

Look at all the people interested in soccer, that follow big UK teams, that follow European teams, that go to the UK for games, that go to LOI, that you see wearing merchandise etc

It's multitudes more than follow rugby in any shape or form.

At the same for GAA.

So what if less than 10k watched Dublin v Laois on Sky ?

I'm sure at the same weekend hundreds of thousands were attending other GAA games but high profile and not all over the country.

You don't get that with rugby.

That was the reason why I bumped this thread a few weeks back.

Munster v Leinster in Limerick, the biggest game in domestic rugby, with internationals back, first unrestricted attendance for over two years, and it still only attracted 20k odd.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118938890#Comment_118938890

None of this explains why you think the games of rugby which proved to be among the biggest draws on TV for the year, should t be on tv.

What has the number of people attending local GAA or Rugby games got to do with whether or not the most popular games should be on tv?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118937092#Comment_118937092

But it's gone too far for the serious rugby fans. Damaged honour. Rugby called out in vain. The neysayers need to be punished.